The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-10-13
RnIghts Convention

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 6.-J. p. Nc
Gaughey, Secretary of the Cooperative
Board of the Knights of Labor, said
this morning that the result of the vote
in the case of James r. Buchanan, the
rejected delegate from District As
sembly 80, of Denver. as given by the
latter, was false. and that the vote was
unanimous against Buchanan. 1t Is
learned that the report that big tight
would be made in the convention over
the new constitution, is not wholly
without foundation. Prominent East
ern Knights express the opinion that
the dissatisfaction over this matter is
very much stronger than the admins
tTation men have any idea OF.
The ''anti's'' would have to
The principal point of opposition
among the ''anti's'' seems to be that
they do not like the idea of the general
officers holding Office for two year
term. They also make the claim that
at least two of the present officers,
Secretary Litchman and Treasurer
Turner are wholly incompetent. The
in regard to the matter, stated ceHl-
phatically that the charges of in ON
potency made against Turner and
Litchman are entirely without founda-
ton. 1t is quite evident that the two
factions in the convention fear each
other. The fact that lengthy secret
caucusses are held nightly goes long
way to sustain this belief.
General Secretary Litchen presented
his report to-day. 1t was very vOlumi-
nous. Following is a short synopsis.
The number of members reported in
good standing at the last session of
the General Assembly was 702 1924, and
number of members in arrears 26, 753.
This made it apparent that the mem
bership Ltthe order, as then reported,
is 729 ,677. The tremendous growth in
the early part of 1886 will be remem-
bered. People came into the order by
hundreds and thousands, so that suS-
pension of limitations for forty days
pired the rush again commenced, and
the result was to bring the organization
mass of material that proved itself to
be weakness. rather than a strength.
For the six months following the ses-
sion of the General Assembly at Rich
mond, the papers of the country have
been filed continually with as
saults upon the order, upon
the general officers, and every
destroy the order. Yet in spite
of all this opposition, the total number
of members reported in good standing
July 1St, is in round numbers 4S5, GOO,
and to this nearly $4,000 who are in
same relation to the order as were the
sc, 1853 reported as in arrears upon the
last report, and we would have MEM
berShip of the order $50 900 on July l,
1887. This would indicate an apparent
decrease of about 1875, 900 members.
The receipts for the fiscal year ending
TrTIU CT oh 70 hNo Q022 EQ1 fYixy
ing with the balances on hand, a grand
total of $50S, SAT. The consideration of
the question of establishing a co-opera-
tive savings association was recon-
mended; also, that state assemblies be
made compulsory instead of permits
sive. The General Assembly at Rich
mond, after adopting certain amend
mepts to the constitution, referred the
balance Of the reports t.
gether with such other changes as
had been presented to the Genera
! Assembly to special commission Of
revision. 1t was ordered that the
commission, in conjunction with the
General Executive Board, should pre-
| pare a revision of the constitution anC
| submit same to a vote of the lOca
| assemblies of the order. The result O
the deliberations of this committee OF
| revision was submitted TO local assem-
blies as provided under the vote unde
| which the committee was appointed
The assemblies were requested to vot'
upon the constitution prope
as first proposition and upol
the article relating to natiOna
| trade assemblies as second PROPOSE
tion. Returns from local assemblies
showed that 1888 local assemble
voted ''yes'' on first proposition, ant
1 ,O66 voted ''no;" that 1893 local as
sembIies voted ''yes'' on second propO
man, in concluding, said his Office hai
been anything but bed of roses, ant
that his enemies among the order ha'
/ DerSecut6d him.